Rihanna, who had all but been attributed a design degree from Central St. Martins after she was pictured dining with Topshop founder Philip Green and his new fashion biz partner Simon Cowell, is not actually getting a clothing line, after all. At least, she isn't yet. [WWD]

Wal-Mart thinks it can open a store in New York if it makes that store smaller than usual, and situates it in the Bronx. Expect significant local government, union, and community resistance — New Yorkers have successfully fought off various incursions from Wal-Mart, most recently in 2005. Big-box retailers like Wal-Mart and Target are trying to open stores in urban areas largely because they've already saturated the suburbs with their terrible super centers. [WWD]

Kate Moss and Jamie Hince were all smiles as they headed to Heathrow Airport — not the site of much smiling as of late, what with all the canceled flights — to go to Thailand for the new year. [Daily Mail]

This interview with Teen Vogue's Amy Astley is actually pretty interesting, because Astley is fairly specific and doesn't fall back too much on fashion platitudes. Here's what she looks for in a stylist: "When reviewing a book I look for a stylist whose work seems happy, optimistic, and upbeat. I like smiling girls! If the book seems very dreary and sad it is just not for Teen Vogue. People tell me,'Oh, I can do happy!' but I don't believe them!! I want energy. No one looks at Teen Vogue to feel depressed and sad, and the teenage years can already be so hard, so gloomy." And: "Too junior is probably my most cutting criticism. Some stylists think that knee socks, kilts, peter pan collars, or goofy sunglasses say 'teen' but they are totally mistaken. I can't work with people who see teenagers or teen fashion in such a cliché and simplistic manner." [Fashionista]

On the East Coast, the after-Christmas blizzard may have cost stores around $1 billion in lost sales. But retailers believe they'll recoup that as people come out to shop once sidewalks and roads are passable again. [WWD]

Cintra Wilson Critically Shops the new Dior store: "Dior's New York flagship, redesigned by Peter Marino to evoke 'Paris elegance,' is a riot of mirrors and chrome and white and silver; the entire environment seems to be wrought out of chandeliers. It is a bit like walking into an enormous Christmas ornament. 'They did 10 pieces that sold out immediately in Asia,' I heard a saleswoman telling a customer at one of the jewelry consultation desks." Also: "Dior splashes shamelessly into the theater of spectacle, for those in a position to flaunt conspicuous consumption. Today's new look isn't aimed at shaping an independent new woman, but at adorning mistresses and new trophy wives in the sartorial equivalent of hula skirts made from 500-euro notes. Badda-bling! Opulence can be many things: fanciful, decadent, luxurious, fun, sexy, mesmerizing. But it is healthy to remember that opulence isn't actually beauty." [NYTimes]

Oh. My. God. If we had $180 to blow on a Barbie toy, this Barbie Doll'd Up Nails Digital Nail Printer, which allows users to select from over a thousand different nail art designs and then prints each one right onto your nails, would probably top the list. [Stylelist]